Origin
Zion, IL
Morning in Zion on Monday
Local time
10:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Zion, IL to Elgin, IL
Drive Time
1h 13m
Distance
63 mi
101 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 8m
★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Zion, IL
Amit Shubinsky
Elgin, IL
Mike Tyurin
Trip Overview
The drive from Zion, IL to Elgin, IL covers 63 miles and takes about 1h 13m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Galilee Avenue, Lebanon Avenue, 33rd Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.57 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
31.5 miles from Zion, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 36m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 13m drive with frequent turns across 63 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 32 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Galilee Avenue is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Zion, IL to Elgin, IL is easy. At 1h 13m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Zion, IL to Elgin, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Galilee Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Lebanon Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| 33rd Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Lewis Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West Wadsworth Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Green Bay Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Grand Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| North Riverside Drive | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Galilee Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Zion, IL and Elgin, IL.
1
Start on 27th Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
27th Street
2
Turn left onto Galilee Avenue
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Galilee Avenue
3
Turn right onto Lebanon Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Lebanon Avenue
4
Turn right onto 33rd Street
315 ft
·
16 sec
·
33rd Street
5
Turn left onto North Lewis Avenue
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
North Lewis Avenue
6
Turn right onto West Wadsworth Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
West Wadsworth Road
7
Turn left onto North Green Bay Road
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
North Green Bay Road
8
Turn slight right
144 ft
·
7 sec
9
Turn right onto Grand Avenue
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
Grand Avenue
10
Turn sharp left onto North Riverside Drive
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
North Riverside Drive
11
Continue on North Milwaukee Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
12
Continue on Milwaukee Avenue
3.2 mi
·
5 min
·
Milwaukee Avenue
13
Turn right onto West Casey Road
2.7 mi
·
4 min
·
West Casey Road
14
Continue on North Midlothian Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
North Midlothian Road
15
Turn right onto Peterson Road
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
·
Peterson Road
16
Turn left onto Ivanhoe Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Ivanhoe Road
17
Continue on Schank Avenue
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Schank Avenue
18
Turn right
5.4 mi
·
8 min
19
Turn left onto Barrington Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Barrington Road
20
Continue straight
7.8 mi
·
12 min
21
Turn slight right
285 ft
·
5 sec
22
Continue on New Sutton Road
6.3 mi
·
9 min
·
New Sutton Road
23
Take the ramp slight right toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
I 90 West Toll: Rockford
24
Merge slight left onto Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
25
Take the exit slight right toward IL 25
505 ft
·
12 sec
·
IL 25
26
Continue on IL 25
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
IL 25
27
Continue straight
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
28
Turn left onto Dundee Avenue
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Dundee Avenue
29
Continue on Center Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Center Street
30
Turn right
312 ft
·
28 sec
31
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
118 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Chicago Street
32
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 31.5 miles from Zion, IL, or about 36m into the drive.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 63 miles or 1h 13m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 31.5 miles or 36m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elgin, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Zion, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Zion, IL
This is one driving day of about 63 miles and 1h 13m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Zion, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 31.5 mi from Zion, IL · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
32 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 63 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 31.5 miles from Zion, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Elgin, IL
The final approach into Elgin, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Elgin, IL.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.57 one way
$19.14 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
22 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $10.55 | $21.10 |
| premium | $4.80 | $11.89 | $23.79 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $14.00 | $27.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$10
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$35–$60
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 22 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 18.9 | 0 | $6.61 | $3.02 |
| Efficient EV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.51 | $2.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 25.2 | 0 | $8.82 | $4.03 |
Gas CO2
22 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Elgin, IL
Morning in Elgin on Monday
Local time
10:50 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 13m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Zion, IL to Elgin, IL covers 63 miles and takes about 1h 13m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Galilee Avenue, Lebanon Avenue, 33rd Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 31.5 miles from Zion, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.57 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
The drive from Zion, IL to Elgin, IL is easy. At 1h 13m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Zion, IL to Elgin, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Zion, IL to Elgin, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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